Yesterday afternoon and overnight, Nicole put on a somewhat unexpected burst of organization and intensification peaking as a category two hurricane with maximum sustained winds estimated near 90 kts (105 mph). This morning however, Nicole has begun to take on the expected erratic track and has weakened due to stronger vertical wind shear. Nicole, however, remains a ‘Potential Threat’ to Bermuda. After drifting to the south and weakening over the next two to three days, Nicole is expected to accelerate northwards toward Bermuda, possibly re-intensifying and has a chance to become a ‘Threat’ to the island by early next week.

[Threat: When effects from any tropical cyclone are possible in Bermuda within 72 hours. – BWS Glossary]

Nicole, after becoming stationary overnight and this morning, is expected to begin a slow drift to the south. In the short term, Nicole has therefore passed its closest point of approach to Bermuda which was about 285 nm south of the island at 6pm yesterday. However, Nicole is still a potential threat to Bermuda at about 290 nm to the south as of today’s midday advisory.

Nicole’s southward drift is expected to pick up pace today and gradually turn back to the west on Sunday as deep layered ridging builds to the north of the storm. Early next week, however, that ridging begins to move east of Nicole as another deep layered shortwave trough approaches the region from the west. This in combination with interaction from Matthew exiting the US east coast is expected to turn Nicole back toward the north. Nicole again approaches Bermuda early next week, possibly becoming a threat to the island by mid-week. The track forecast early next week is still more uncertain than average and it is not clear how Nicole will interact with both the shortwave trough and Matthew in the coming days.

In terms of intensity, very strong vertical wind shear is currently weakening Nicole. These strong upper level winds have stripped the organized convection away from the low-level center of Nicole this morning. This has weakened Nicole dramatically from a category two with maximum sustained winds near 85 kts (100 mph) to a tropical storm with winds near 60 kts (70 mph) in six hours.

This strong vertical wind shear is expected to continue to weaken Nicole today to a minimal tropical storm by Saturday. These unfavorable upper winds are expected to persist at least through Monday, limiting Nicole’s intensity. Nicole could degenerate into a remnant low in this time, or could prove again resilient to large scale shear and maintain moderate tropical storm intensity. However, the environment is expected to gradually become more conducive for development as Nicole approaches Bermuda early next week.

The overall atmospheric set up next week is again very uncertain and therefore it is important to continue to monitor the progression of Nicole over the next five days and prepare accordingly should Nicole become a threat to Bermuda.